The fishermen had long petitioned and demanded the fishing boats be transferred to the Russian ownership as they were not permitted to begin fishing, said Igor Kovalenko, chairman of the Trade Union Committee of Akros JSC, an owner of the long-liners.
He noted that the owners and charterers of 12 longline fishing boats had signed all the documents allowing transfer of these vessels to the Russia's ownership in accordance with the direct order of Vladimir Putin he gave the regional authorities at a meeting on February 1st.